which vs env-paths vs cross-env vs command-exists vs npm-which
Node.js Command-Line Utilities
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Node.js Command-Line Utilities

Node.js Command-Line Utilities are libraries that provide tools for interacting with the command line, managing environment variables, and handling executable files. These utilities help developers create scripts and applications that can perform tasks in the terminal, such as checking for the existence of commands, setting environment variables across platforms, and resolving the paths of executable files. They are essential for building CLI (Command-Line Interface) tools, automating tasks, and ensuring cross-platform compatibility in Node.js applications.

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which158,370,6553457.48 kB5a month agoISC
env-paths34,041,105414-04 years agoMIT
cross-env12,442,1316,51820.2 kB12 months agoMIT
command-exists4,110,210147-176 years agoMIT
npm-which700,92178-19 years agoMIT
Feature Comparison: which vs env-paths vs cross-env vs command-exists vs npm-which

Command Existence Check

  • which:

    which offers a similar functionality by locating the path of a specified executable. It returns the path of the command if found, or an error if it is not. This package is more focused on finding the location of the executable rather than just checking its existence.

  • command-exists:

    command-exists provides a simple API to check if a specific command is available in the user's PATH. It returns a promise that resolves to true if the command exists, or false if it does not. This is useful for scripts that need to verify the availability of tools before executing commands.

Cross-Platform Compatibility

  • env-paths:

    env-paths provides platform-agnostic methods for retrieving environment-specific paths, ensuring consistency across operating systems. It does not set variables but helps applications access the correct paths based on the user's platform.

  • cross-env:

    cross-env is designed to handle cross-platform differences in setting environment variables. It allows you to set variables in a way that works on both Windows and Unix-like systems, making it ideal for scripts in package.json that need to run in diverse environments.

Executable Path Resolution

  • which:

    which also resolves the path of an executable but does so in a straightforward manner. It is a lightweight implementation that quickly finds the location of a command in the user's PATH.

  • npm-which:

    npm-which resolves the path of an executable by searching the user's PATH environment variable. It is particularly useful for Node.js applications that need to find the location of installed command-line tools.

Environment Variable Management

  • cross-env:

    cross-env allows you to set environment variables directly in your scripts, ensuring they are available regardless of the operating system. This is especially useful for build scripts and CI/CD pipelines where consistent variable management is required.

Ease of Use: Code Examples

  • which:

    Find the path of a command using which

    const which = require('which');

which('node', (err, path) => {
  if (err) {
    console.error('Command not found.');
  } else {
    console.log(`Command path: ${path}`);
  }
});
  • command-exists:

    Check if a command exists using command-exists

    const commandExists = require('command-exists');

commandExists('git')
  .then(() => console.log('Command exists!'))
  .catch(() => console.log('Command does not exist.'));
How to Choose: which vs env-paths vs cross-env vs command-exists vs npm-which
  • which:

    Select which if you need a straightforward and efficient way to find the location of a command-line executable. This package is a direct implementation of the Unix which command, making it fast and reliable for locating executables in the user's PATH.

  • env-paths:

    Use env-paths if you need to reliably retrieve platform-specific paths for configuration files, caches, and other environment-related directories. This package is useful for applications that need to store user-specific or application-specific data in a consistent manner across different operating systems.

  • cross-env:

    Select cross-env if you need to set environment variables in a cross-platform manner, especially when working with scripts in package.json. It is particularly useful for ensuring that environment variables are set correctly on both Windows and Unix-like systems, making it a must-have for teams working in diverse environments.

  • command-exists:

    Choose command-exists if you need a simple and reliable way to check if a specific command-line tool is installed on the user's system. It is lightweight and easy to use, making it ideal for scripts and applications that require this functionality without any overhead.

  • npm-which:

    Choose npm-which if you need a reliable way to find the path of an executable file in the user's PATH. It is particularly useful for Node.js applications that need to locate command-line tools or scripts, ensuring that you get the correct path regardless of the user's environment.

Similar Npm Packages to cross-env

cross-env is a popular npm package that allows developers to set environment variables across different operating systems in a consistent manner. This is particularly useful in Node.js applications where environment variables are often used to configure settings for development, testing, and production environments. By using cross-env, developers can avoid issues that arise from differences in how environment variables are set on Windows versus Unix-based systems, ensuring that scripts run smoothly regardless of the OS.

While cross-env is a great tool for managing environment variables, there are several alternatives that also provide functionality for handling environment configurations. Here are a few notable options:

  • dotenv is a widely used package that loads environment variables from a .env file into process.env. This allows developers to define environment-specific variables in a simple text file, making it easy to manage configurations for different environments. dotenv is particularly useful for local development and is often used in conjunction with other tools to streamline the setup process.
  • dotenv-flow extends the functionality of dotenv by allowing for multiple .env files to be used based on the environment. This means you can have separate .env files for development, testing, and production, and dotenv-flow will automatically load the appropriate file based on the current environment. This added flexibility makes it a great choice for projects that require more complex environment management.
  • env-cmd is another alternative that allows you to run scripts with environment variables defined in a separate file. It supports multiple environment files and can be used to specify different configurations for various environments. env-cmd is particularly useful for projects that need to manage multiple configurations without cluttering the main codebase with environment variable definitions.

To see how cross-env compares with dotenv, dotenv-flow, and env-cmd, check out the comparison: Comparing cross-env vs dotenv vs dotenv-flow vs env-cmd.

Similar Npm Packages to npm-which

npm-which is a Node.js package that helps developers locate the executable files for commands in the system's PATH. It is particularly useful in scenarios where you need to find the path of a command-line tool that is installed globally or locally. By providing a simple API, npm-which allows developers to easily check for the existence of commands and retrieve their paths, making it a handy tool for building command-line applications or scripts.

While npm-which is a great option for finding executables, there are several alternatives that offer similar functionalities:

  • command-exists is a lightweight package that checks if a command exists in the system's PATH. It provides a straightforward API to verify the presence of a command, making it easy to use in scripts or applications. If you are looking for a simple solution to check for command existence without additional features, command-exists is a solid choice.
  • cross-env is a package that allows you to set environment variables across different platforms (Windows, macOS, Linux) in a consistent manner. While it doesn't directly find executables, it is often used in conjunction with other tools to ensure that environment variables are set correctly for command execution. If your project requires cross-platform compatibility for environment variables, cross-env is an essential tool.
  • env-paths is a utility that helps manage environment paths for different platforms. It provides a way to retrieve the appropriate paths for configuration files and executables based on the operating system. While it doesn't specifically locate executables like npm-which, it is useful for managing paths in a cross-platform manner, making it a valuable addition to your toolkit.
  • which is another popular package that finds the location of executables in the system's PATH. It offers a similar functionality to npm-which, allowing developers to locate commands easily. If you need a reliable solution for finding executables, which is a well-established choice in the Node.js community.

To see how these packages compare, check out the comparison: Comparing command-exists vs cross-env vs env-paths vs npm-which vs which.

README for which

which

Like the unix which utility.

Finds the first instance of a specified executable in the PATH environment variable. Does not cache the results, so hash -r is not needed when the PATH changes.

USAGE

const which = require('which')

// async usage
// rejects if not found
const resolved = await which('node')

// if nothrow option is used, returns null if not found
const resolvedOrNull = await which('node', { nothrow: true })

// sync usage
// throws if not found
const resolved = which.sync('node')

// if nothrow option is used, returns null if not found
const resolvedOrNull = which.sync('node', { nothrow: true })

// Pass options to override the PATH and PATHEXT environment vars.
await which('node', { path: someOtherPath, pathExt: somePathExt })

CLI USAGE

Just like the BSD which(1) binary but using node-which.

usage: node-which [-as] program ...

You can learn more about why the binary is node-which and not which here

OPTIONS

You may pass an options object as the second argument.

  • path: Use instead of the PATH environment variable.
  • pathExt: Use instead of the PATHEXT environment variable.
  • all: Return all matches, instead of just the first one. Note that this means the function returns an array of strings instead of a single string.
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